Prey Drive

I've been thinking a lot lately about prey drive and what it means to different breeds and different owners. For a hunter, a sport dog athlete, or a working dog, prey drive is an essential quality to be effective at their jobs... and generally speaking the higher the prey drive the better.

When it comes to pet dogs, prey drive is generally what gets pet dogs in trouble and pet dog owners very frustrated. If you aren't able to fulfill a highly driven dog's needs for mental stimulation, physical exercise and structure and discipline then that dog is going to attempt to satisfy those needs on his or her own... which could mean chasing anything that moves, following a scent trail off into the great blue yonder, or eating their way through a living room full of furniture. I know that there certainly are a great deal of similarities in all dogs... but there are also a great deal of differences. So that is why it is always a good idea to thoroughly research a breed before selecting a puppy for your family. If you are low key movie watching kind of folks, then a Malinois or a border collie may not be the best choice. Try a greyhound. But if you are a marathon runner looking for a running partner, then pass on the bulldog and go check out the GSD. There is so much more to owning a dog than falling in love with a picture in a book... get to know what it takes to fulfill the breed and make sure that you've got what it takes to either keep up... or slow down to match them.